BJP, Cong lock horns in Rajya Sabha over federalism & constitutional amendments

New Delhi: In a fierce exchange of accusations on Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress accused each other of undermining constitutional values. The heated debate, which took place during the discussion on the ‘Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India’ in the Rajya Sabha, saw the ruling party claim that the Congress had made constitutional amendments to “brazenly” benefit a political family. Meanwhile, the Opposition demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly “twisting facts” about India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Leading the charge for the BJP, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused the Congress of repeatedly amending the Constitution to strengthen the “dynasty” rather than addressing the country’s broader needs. Speaking for nearly 80 minutes, Sitharaman highlighted various constitutional amendments made under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi, alleging that these were aimed at bolstering the power of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

“Each time the Congress brazenly amended the Constitution, it was only to help the family. The dynasty kept amending the Constitution, even if it affected individuals who were desperately in need of legal protections,” Sitharaman said, referring to the controversial Shah Bano case and the denial of alimony to Muslim women. Sitharaman also criticised the inclusion of the terms “Socialist” and “Secular” in the Preamble during Indira Gandhi’s tenure, arguing that it reflected the Congress’s disregard for constitutional principles. “These amendments were not about strengthening democracy but about protecting those in power,” she asserted. She also pointed to the First Amendment to the Constitution in 1951, alleging that it was used to limit freedom of speech and expression.

In response, Leader of Opposition and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP of deliberately distorting historical facts and demanded an apology from Prime Minister Modi for his remarks about Nehru. Kharge took issue with the Prime Minister’s references to Nehru’s letter on reservation and state-level issues, alleging that Modi had “twisted facts” to defame the former Prime Minister.

“The first amendment in the Constitution was done to provide reservation to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and to abolish the Zamindari system,” Kharge clarified. “It was done by the Constituent Assembly members, including Syama Prasad Mookerjee, one of the founders of the Jana Sangh,” he added, responding to BJP’s criticism of Nehru’s constitutional changes.

Kharge also addressed the BJP’s rhetoric around Nehru and the Congress, accusing the ruling party of stoking “hatred” toward India’s first Prime Minister. “This is my demand: If you twist the facts to defame Nehru, you should apologise to the nation,” he asserted.

Referring to the growing loyalty towards Prime Minister Modi, Kharge warned that the BJP’s “bhakti” (devotion) towards the leader was pushing India toward a “dictatorship.” He cautioned that democracy was at risk under the current regime. “The ‘bhakti’ of the Prime Minister is taking the country towards dictatorship... democracy in the country should not turn into dictatorship,” he said.

The debate also saw other opposition leaders express concerns about the state of democracy under the current government. Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale alleged that justice was being denied to the people, particularly minorities, under the Modi administration. “Under the NDA government, minorities are subjected to atrocities every day,” he claimed, accusing the government of undermining the Constitution.

DMK’s Tiruchi Siva echoed these sentiments, accusing the government of eroding the federal structure of the country. “The imposition of Hindi and the undermining of the federal structure are clear signs of authoritarianism,” he said. Mukul Wasnik of the Congress further stated that the BJP’s speeches on Nehru were motivated by “hatred” for the country’s first Prime Minister.

Amid these charges, Kharge also addressed the topic of the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975, calling it a mistake that was later rectified by the people. “Indira Gandhi came back to power with a thumping majority in 1980,” Kharge noted, emphasising that the country had moved past the authoritarian episode.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, on the other hand, took aim at the Congress’s handling of Article 370, accusing them of abdicating their responsibility in Kashmir. “The provision on Kashmir was made ‘de-facto permanent’ because the Congress lacked the courage to act,” Puri said.

The debate was further enriched by Biju Janata Dal MP Debashish Samantaray, who argued that the country was currently in a state reminiscent of an Emergency, with dissenters being imprisoned without due process. “Anyone can be sent to jail today, and chief ministers have been put behind bars without bail,” he said.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar closed the debate by urging the members to reflect on the milestone of 75 years of the Constitution. He said, “This Constitution has been the bedrock of the world’s largest democracy, a testament to the profound wisdom of its architects and the resilience of our democratic spirit.”